Free The Blobshttp://freetheblobs.com
Tue, 06 Mar 2018 08:39:55 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.13Free the Blobs is now free to play!http://freetheblobs.com/free-blobs-now-free-play/
Mon, 12 Dec 2016 11:21:41 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=797We have exciting news – Free the Blobs is now free to play! The decision to change the pricing approach to the game was taken in autumn, and at the start of December the transition was complete. Now users can download the game completely for free from both the Android play store and the Apple […]

The decision to change the pricing approach to the game was taken in autumn, and at the start of December the transition was complete. Now users can download the game completely for free from both the Android play store and the Apple App store.

To compensate, the game now features adverts. Adverts appear when a new level is reached or a level is restarted, with the constraint that they are served at most once every 5 minutes. This was an attempt to balance the need for revenue without overly bombarding the player with adverts. We hope you find the balance about right.

Additionally, players can now choose to watch an advert to skip a level. This feature replaces the old approach where a player could only skip up to two levels. Now there is no limit to the number of levels that can be skipped!

We’ve made some other tweaks to the game as well, in particular the addition of more cut-scenes which we shall post about in the coming days. We hope you like the changes and keep on enjoying the game!

]]>New version to be released with sharper graphicshttp://freetheblobs.com/new-version-released-sharper-graphics/
Fri, 19 Aug 2016 23:20:45 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=764Here at Wookanana we’ve been working hard trying to improve the graphics within the game. Main menu overhaul One of the key changes is the complete change in the main menu. Before the menu system used the simple still graphic for its background. This simple “face off” picture shown below originally served us well, but […]

]]>Here at Wookanana we’ve been working hard trying to improve the graphics within the game.

Main menu overhaul

One of the key changes is the complete change in the main menu. Before the menu system used the simple still graphic for its background. This simple “face off” picture shown below originally served us well, but there were calls for something more dynamic and exciting.

Now the main menu system background is animated, showing a number of entities moving around a room in the robots lair. The stills below give an idea of the graphics approach, but the full affect can only really be appreciated by playing in the game itself.

Letter box effect

One of the problems the original release encountered was that the UI didn’t resize well across the full range of mobile and tablet devices. This was particularly noticeable on an iPad, where the movement buttons were small and squashed. To improve this the game now automatically adjusts the usable screen height to better control the aspect ratio of the UI elements. The effect can be seen on the two shots below, with the letter box effect only on the right hand image. Note how this improves the size of the side bars and the control buttons.

Improving in game graphics

Here we have tried to improve the general look of the graphic sprites and UI elements for the game. The shot below illustrates the new look for the game.

Final remarks

It’s still the same gritty puzzler, but we’ve tried to smartened it up to widen the appeal of the game. We think it’s looking pretty good now but please leave a comment below to let us know your thoughts.

Expect these updates for both Android and Apple to be released within about a week.

]]>Competition to win “Free the Blobs”http://freetheblobs.com/competition-time/
Tue, 12 Jul 2016 10:59:01 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=703Competition time! Win a free download of the innovative puzzle game “Free the Blobs” on either Android or Apple! How to enter To enter the competition you must complete a challenge from the free demo of the game: The free Android demo can be found here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Wookanana.FreeTheBlobsDemo The free Apple demo can be found here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/free-the-blobs-lite-version/id1103156952?mt=8 […]

The challenge is to unlock the medal “Efficient 1” and then email us at pr@wookanana.com with a screen shot of your unlocked medal. The first 20 people to do this will win a promo code allowing you to download the full game for free! Please let us know in your email if you would like a Android or Apple version of the game.

Play the demo for free, and potentially win the full game for free! Pretty cool, eh?

Get moving…

We are releasing 20 codes for competition, so the quickest 20 people to email us the unlocked medal screen shot will win!

]]>How to Upload Levelshttp://freetheblobs.com/how-to-upload-levels/
Thu, 16 Jun 2016 15:42:28 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=657The post How to Upload Levels appeared first on Free The Blobs.
]]>

So, What’s going on here?

Well, we have been working hard over the last few weeks with the editor, but also with the website.

FreeTheBlobs.com is now a levels archive for uploading and downloading user-created content.

Over the course of this post, we will show you exactly how you can post your own levels, and how you can download them.

Lets get started.

Step 1 – Create an account

If you haven’t already, you will need to create an account in order to upload files, this has been done to prevent spamming and try to keep our site smooth.

Creating an account takes just a few minutes and we only send emails that have been requested (lost passwords, file downloads etc).

Step 2 – Accessing the Dashboard

All content handling on our site takes place on the Dashboard, a back-end editor for creating and managing content.

To access this, once logged on, click on the Free The Blobs button in the top left with the house next to it.

Step 3 – Navigating the Dashboard

We have supplied some useful links in the “Welcome to Free The Blobs” section in the center, but we will just be using the left menu.

Click on the Levels banner with the download icon to the left of it.

Step 4 – Adding a new Level

Once on the Levels page, you should be greeted with something like this (right), if you have posted some levels before, this will have items in.

To add a new file, click the Add New button to the right of the title.

Step 5 – Filling in the information

What you put in here is up to you (within reason), our level addition system follows the same rules as our forums (read here).

We suggest this layout:

Title – Your level name

Content – A short description of your level, and any additional information. (Do NOT post external links in here or promote other services/companies/individuals(credit can be given for designs or modifications))

Step 6 – Uploading the file

After you have added in all the information you want to, we recommend clicking Save Draft (middle right) to prevent your work being lost.

To upload your file, click on the Upload button on the top right (this may be below the content field depending on the size of screen you are using).

Step 7 – Uploading the file (2)

After the dialog (modal window) opens, click on the Upload Files tab.

Click on the Select Files button and find your file.

Once you have clicked open (or equivalent), the file should upload.

Step 8 – Attaching the file

Once you have uploaded your file, you should be able to select it in the Media Library tab.

After selecting it, and it has a tick in the top right of the file, click the blue Select button.

The FTB level file upload field should now have a path to your file in.

Step 9 – Publishing

Once you have done steps 1-9, you can click the blue Publish button (middle right).

Step 10 – Viewing

The page will refresh, and you can click either the View post banner link, or the permalink URL to view your file.

]]>Release date set for full version of Free the Blobshttp://freetheblobs.com/release-data-set-full-version-free-blobs/
Wed, 08 Jun 2016 12:21:37 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=635It’s with great excitement that Wookanana announce that the full version of Free the Blobs will be released at 2 pm on Tuesday the 28th of June! Why has the release been delayed? When Wookanana show-cased Free the Blobs at EGX-Rezzed in April, we told people that we were expecting to release the full version […]

]]>It’s with great excitement that Wookanana announce that the full version of Free the Blobs will be released at 2 pm on Tuesday the 28th of June!

Why has the release been delayed?

When Wookanana show-cased Free the Blobs at EGX-Rezzed in April, we told people that we were expecting to release the full version at the start of May. Why were we so far out with our estimate? There are three main reasons:

Fully functional editor

The original plan was to initially release the game without the editor included. However we were advised by our marketing gurus that the game would receive greater coverage if the editor was working at the release date. Therefore a few weeks were poured into getting the editor in tip-top shape and fully working. This has now been achieved (see our previous post on this HERE) and players will be able to use this tool to create and share their own levels.

Translation

Again our marketing gurus advised us that the game would get greater global coverage if it was available in more languages. Therefore the demo and the game have now been fully translated into French and Spanish. Fortunately we have some friends (Margaux and Jon) who are currently training to be translators so this worked fairly well. However this took some time to pull together and get working smoothly.

Avoid clashing with E3

For those of you who do not know, E3 is (arguably) the most prominent gaming convention of the year and its scheduled to run from June 11-13th. For the days before, during and after this important event the gaming press and websites are focused on news about E3. Therefore our marketing people told us to wait until the hype from the event had calmed down to increase the media attention received by the release of Free the Blobs.

Features of the full version

The full version of the game is packed with features! The game has 5 tutorial levels, 65 main levels and 10 extra bonus levels. Throughout the game different game obstacles and mechanisms are introduced (including robotic enemies) that keep the players on their toes. The addition of the editor opens up new challenges as people can test each other with their own devious levels.

An intro cut-scene is used to set the story of the game, and should players finish they will be rewarded with a final cut-scene illustrating the fate of the blobs. A medal system tracks the progress of players though the game as well as adding extra challenges to the levels (e.g. finish this level in a certain amount of moves). Ten carefully chosen music tracks are used to set the mood of the game and a collections of sound effects helps bring the environment to life

Finally the game features no adverts or in-app purchases. This is a key feature for the game and is something that Wookanana thinks should be re-introduced to the mobile gaming community.

Closing thoughts

Wookanana is excited that the wait is nearly over. We hope that you will enjoy the game as much as we have enjoyed creating it.

]]>iOS demo of Free the Blobs now available!http://freetheblobs.com/lite-version-free-blobs-now-app-store/
Sat, 04 Jun 2016 14:08:13 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=630After a long wait, the iOS version of the Free the Blobs demo is now available in the App store. We had a number of teething issues to resolve before we were able to achieve this, but now iPhone and iPad users can enjoy the demo / lite version of game. How to get the […]

]]>After a long wait, the iOS version of the Free the Blobs demo is now available in the App store. We had a number of teething issues to resolve before we were able to achieve this, but now iPhone and iPad users can enjoy the demo / lite version of game.

How to get the lite version

You can follow this link which will take your straight to the app location on the app store. We are also in the process of updating the website so that there is a button that links to the demo from the front page (like there currently is for the Android version).

Time frame for the full version

The full version is ready on iOS, but still has a few bugs to be ironed out on the Android version. As soon as we have resolved these we shall announce an official launch date for the game. Expect an update within the coming week!

]]>Introducing the level editor!http://freetheblobs.com/introducing-level-editor/
Fri, 27 May 2016 17:15:39 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=614One of the most exciting features of Free the Blobs is that it contains a level editor. This allows users to create new levels using their mobile device. Functionality The editor allows people to create their own levels from scratch. This is same editor that was used by Wookanana to create the levels in the […]

]]>One of the most exciting features of Free the Blobs is that it contains a level editor. This allows users to create new levels using their mobile device.

Functionality

The editor allows people to create their own levels from scratch. This is same editor that was used by Wookanana to create the levels in the game – no artificial restrictions have been added. As well as allowing users to recreate and adapt any level of the game, players now have the chance to indulge their own puzzle creation talents. Like battling against multiple robots as once? No problem – create level where you can fight against up to 12 robots at once! Enjoy classic puzzle mechanics with blocks and switches? Create huge 20 by 20 grids littered with switches and blocks and let your mind boggle at trying to find the path through.

Sharing

Although its enjoyable to play through your level creations, the most fun comes from inviting your friends to take on the challenges that you have created. Fortunately sharing levels with your friends is fairly simple. By the simple click of a button the editor composes an email with your level attached, which you can then send on to whom ever you desire. On receiving such a file the recipient merely needs to click on the level and it will automatically launch Free the Blobs where the level will be waiting for them in the “Downloaded” section. It’s really that simple.

Furthermore, the level files work on either Android or Apple devices, thereffore allowing you to share with more of your friends!

Tutorial

The editor interface is fairly intuitive, but a few aspects such as the switch tool require some explanation. Fortunately there is an online tutorial for the editor which has been posted on our YouTube channel, which you can watch below.

Final thoughts

Wookanana looks forward to seeing the levels that you create and solving the challenges that you devise. In some way the editor switches the roles of the game-maker and the players

]]>Cut scenes completedhttp://freetheblobs.com/cut-scenes-completed/
Sun, 22 May 2016 22:40:25 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=609Hello everyone. As part of putting the final polish on the game before its release, we’ve been working on the cut scenes for the game. For release this will just consist of two cut scenes: an intro and a game completion one. After release there is the intention to release small cut scenes corresponding to […]

As part of putting the final polish on the game before its release, we’ve been working on the cut scenes for the game. For release this will just consist of two cut scenes: an intro and a game completion one. After release there is the intention to release small cut scenes corresponding to progress within the game (e.g. for when ice tiles are first encountered).

So what do these cut scenes look like? The below screen shot gives you an idea, but you can watch the whole intro cut scene by following this link: https://youtu.be/pG_scT8_rpc

The intro basically sets the story for the game, showing how the robots accidentally created the blobs and then decide to imprison them. This video will play within the game when ever a player chooses to start a new game.

To see the game completion cut scene you’ll have to play through the game your self

]]>The EGX Rezzed experiencehttp://freetheblobs.com/egx-rezzed-experience/
Wed, 11 May 2016 23:41:22 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=584Just over a month ago, Free the Blobs had its first public debut at EGX Rezzed. The whole event took a lot of preparation (see previous post) and there were some fears that our mobile game would not be well received at such a predominantly pc and console exhibition. However it was a huge success […]

]]>Just over a month ago, Free the Blobs had its first public debut at EGX Rezzed. The whole event took a lot of preparation (see previous post) and there were some fears that our mobile game would not be well received at such a predominantly pc and console exhibition. However it was a huge success and an amazing experience.

Popularity

The game was hugely popular. Throughout the entire event our stand was busy and often there were people queuing up to play our game. One of our only regrets is that we should have brought along another tablet to increase the throughput of players! On several occasions we had people downloading the demo onto their phones and playing at the stand because the demand for seats at our stand was so great. It’s particularly humbling due to the nature of the exhibition and quality of the games being presented there.

Satisfaction

It’s difficult to explain the feeling of watching loads of people playing your game for the first time. Until EGX Rezzed the game had only been played by a few close friends and family, but here it was being played by hundreds of people. It was an amazing feeling just to sit and watch people be entertained by something that we’ve worked on so hard. It was a validation of both the game and the reason why we make games.

Determined players

We were amazed at the length of time some people spent playing our game. We were far too busy to accurately time anyone, but we had several people sitting at our stand for well over an hour trying to complete our demo. Initially we believed it was just the lure of the free T-shirts, but this was not the case! Even after our daily supplies were exhausted, people still sat at our stand for ages trying to finish the demo. It was a bit surreal to watch, that someone would come to an event like EGX Rezzed with hundreds of amazing games and yet they would sit for so long on our humble little mobile puzzler.

Children

There was a revelation at the event – our game was surprisingly popular with children. Undoubtedly some parents saw our game as a child friendly and therefore encourage their young children to have a go. However our game is quiet difficult, with many adults who tried to finish the demo failing to do so. Yet despite this many children really liked our game! On average the children fared about as well as the grown ups and we had many of them finish the demo. The youngest winner we had was eight, which was amazing! This was not a market we had originally intended the game for, but its something we will look at in the future. We might even consider releasing a child focused version of the game, with the same core mechanics but just with slightly easier levels.

Closing thoughts

It was an incredible experience to meet and watch so many people playing Free the Blobs. Engagement with the target audience in the gaming industry is difficult, but what better way to do this than to actually physically meet the people and watch them have fun with your game. No regrets (apart from not bringing another tablet).

]]>Free the Blobs goes to EGX Rezzedhttp://freetheblobs.com/free-blobs-goes-egx-rezzed/
Tue, 05 Apr 2016 10:27:12 +0000http://freetheblobs.com/?p=464We are very excited to announce that Free the Blobs will be showcased at the gaming exhibition EGX Rezzed! What will be there? The game of course! Come along to try out the demo of Free the Blobs. The demo starts with a tutorial taking you through the basics of the game and then plunges you […]

]]>We are very excited to announce that Free the Blobs will be showcased at the gaming exhibition EGX Rezzed!

What will be there?

The game of course! Come along to try out the demo of Free the Blobs. The demo starts with a tutorial taking you through the basics of the game and then plunges you into the challenges of synchronised escape!

Achieve satisfaction by solving the 15 levels and helping to Free the Blobs!

In addition to the demo, there will be some free promotional handouts, including our cute logo bugs:

Don’t they look adorable?

Who will be there?

Our stand will be manned by the Wookanana development team at all times. Feel free to ask us any questions about the game or its development – we are always happy to talk to people! It’s a great opportunity for us to actually meet people face to face and connect with our fan base.

Competition time!

Wookanana is running a competition at the event. If a person can complete the 15-level demo then (while stocks last) we will give them a Free the Blobs T-shirt!

We have a limited stock of T-shirts for each day, so get to our stand early to win yours! Once the T-shirts have been depleted promotional codes for the full version of the game will be awarded to people instead.

T-shirt prizes!

About the event

The EGX Rezzed show runs for three days from April 7th to April 9th and is located at Tobacco Dock in London.